Beautiful Mess
by Anieshwa
Summary: ONE-SHOT. Based loosely on the episode Tori Goes Platinum. Beck's feelings for Tori start to surface, but Jade intervenes. Of course. Will Tori listen to Beck, or stay away forever?


Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious, or the characters. This is sort of my twist on Tori Goes Platinum.

TPOV:

I was so nervous. And hungry. I had skipped dinner just so I could record my video by myself to send it in. And I barely made the deadline, but I had wanted to keep my song a secret, and I did. Now as I begrudgingly walked to my locker, I was beginning to regret that decision. No dinner, no time for breakfast, I thought I was going to pass out. I could barely open my locker and I stared into it exhausted.

"Tori? What's wrong?" Beck asked leaning on the locker next to mine. He always managed to pay me attention at the worst times. Always noticed me when I'm exhausted and look worse than normal.

"I'm so hungry. I was up until midnight trying to get my video in. I skipped dinner and still barely finished on time. And I didn't eat breakfast. I'm dying!" I complained. Did I sound as whiny to him as I did to myself?

He smirked crookedly as he looked in my eyes and I looked away. "Fear not, I have a hoagie in my backpack." he said as my eyes grew wide. True to his word he pulled a hoagie out of his backpack and offered it to me.

I almost fell with relief. "Are you sure? What if you get hungry?" I was hungry, but I wasn't going to take his food and leave him to starve. He took my hand and placed the sandwich in it as I shivered at his touch.

"I'm positive. I will make it to lunch. You, on the other hand, probably won't." His words were mocking, but his face showed no hint of laughter. I looked at the ground, smiling and thanked him desperately before taking a large bite of the sandwich.

"Here she is, Tori Vega." Sikowitz said leading a mob towards me as I stood with a giant mouthful of sandwich. A man walked forward and told me that I had done it, that I had won the contest. I was mortified to say the least. These people wanted to talk to me and record it and I had a mouthful of hoagie! I pointed desperately at my mouth trying to make them understand. The man instructed me to hurry and do something with my sandwich. I looked around, desperately looking for a garbage can, all to avail.

"Spit it in my hands and set the sandwich in your locker." Beck instructed and I turned on him, eyes wild as I shook my head in defiance. He snatched the sandwich, tossed it in my locker and slammed it shut before turning back to me. "Just spit it in my hands."

I closed my eyes and did. Then I stood back up. "Better?" I asked weakly. He smirked before wiping mustard off my face. "Much." He ran to the janitor's closet to dispose of my sandwich as I turned around. "Congratulations Ms. Vega. You are going to be the opening performance! We need you at our studio tomorrow at four to discuss everything, and again congratulations." I just stood there basically jumping up and down saying oh my God as I watched them leave.

I turned to Beck and jumped for real. "I did it! I can't believe they chose me! I'm going to perform!" I jumped into the hug he gave me. When I finally stopped jumping, I pulled away embarrassed. "I can't believe they..." I started but was cut off by Beck's lips on mine. When he pulled back a few seconds later I was stunned and touched my fingers to my lips.

"Wha... Why would you kiss me?" I whispered, backing up slowly.

"Why wouldn't I?" he said, always playful, but again it did not touch his eyes.

"I... because I'm Tori, and you're Beck. I'm... Tori, just Tori." I said quietly. He opened his mouth to reply, but a bitter voice cut him off. "Yeah, just Tori the backstabber. Tori why don't you just leave? Everything was great until you showed up!" Jade's voice made a knot of fear in my stomach, and her words made tears spring into my eyes as I turned and ran.

I ignored Beck calling my name and ran until I made it to Trina's car. She made a comment about how slow I was as I jumped in and she peeled out impatiently. The tears burst then and I couldn't help the sobs shaking my body. I hadn't done anything to Jade! She and Beck weren't even dating anymore!

When I arrived home I ran straight to my room instead of getting lunch, and I didn't go back to school with her when she left. Around three I ran, got a banana, and went back to my room. I never wanted to face Jade again. At four Trina came home. At five my mom, who began making dinner. My phone kept buzzing so I eventually turned it off. Around five thirty the doorbell rang and my mother came up to my room.

"Tori, sweetheart? Tori, Beck is downstairs. He says he needs to talk to you. He also brought the assignments you missed." Tears welled back up as I cleared my throat to reply. "I don't want to talk to him. I… I still don't feel good. Could you thank him for my work and get him to leave?" I said pulling my knees to my chest.

"Of course sweetie. I'll bring you some soup up." My mother said leaving. I looked out my window and watched Beck leave as more tears burst. I sobbed quietly the rest of the night, even during my soup and finally got the strength to turn on my phone. I put my messages into conversation view and ignored the messages from both Jade and Beck. The messages from Cat, Robbie, and Andre went from congratulations to text of worry over my disappearance.

I sighed before texting Andre a simple 'hello..' He responded quickly with, 'Where are you? You ok? Why didn't you reply earlier?' I quickly explained everything that happened, including Jade's comments. 'She's just jealous because he's paying you attention. She'll deal. Tori you have to come to school tomorrow.' I felt terrible at the thought but sighed dejectedly. 'Save me a seat by you? Please? I can't sit by either of them.' He replied, agreeing, and I quickly went to sleep, dreading the next day.

XXXXXX THE NEXT DAY XXXXXX

I felt like a robot as I showered, dressed, and ate for school. Actually as Sikowitz would remind me, robots don't feel, so I was more than likely relating to a zombie, not a robot. I sighed as Trina drove us to school. I skulked to my locker and had just gotten out my binder when Beck came through the door and spotted me.

I slammed my locker and ran the opposite direction, ignoring him calling out my name. I sat with Andre for the rest of the morning. And even at lunch, but I could only avoid everyone for so long. Robbie sat with us first, and everything was great.

Then Cat and Jade walked over. "Can't we sit somewhere else Cat? I hate the smell of backstabber in the afternoon." Jade sneered at me. "But I want to sit by Robbie." Cat said pouting and Jade only glared at me more. Behind her I saw Beck watching the whole ordeal. I glanced down and whispered to Andre, "I'm going to go. I'll see you in class." Before jumping up and leaving. I could hear the argument ensuing about my hasty departure, but I honestly couldn't care at the moment.

I ran to the empty auditorium and sat down in a chair as tears fell. This was worse than the scenarios I had imagined. I felt completely ostracized from my friends, and at a loss on how to fix it. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts; I missed the telltale signs of someone else entering the auditorium, so I had no chance to escape this time.

"Tori, why have you been avoiding me?" Beck said as he sat beside me in the theatre. "I…. I'm not…." I sigh. "Because I'm a mess. Because Jade is my friend and now she hates me. Because I'm lost…." I whisper looking away from him. He doesn't respond for a few minutes, but moves to kneel in front of me instead. He took my hands in his and looked me in the eyes. "Jade has never been your friend Tor, she's disliked you since the moment you beat her in Sikowitz's class on the first day. Tori, it's not your fault. All of this," he gestures around us, "is my fault. Jade is mad at me, not you. And you are NOT a mess. You're beautiful."

Tears kept falling from my eyes as he finished his speech. He placed his hands on the sides of my face and gently wiped away my tears. "So beautiful." He whispered. And with that he leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine gently. He kissed me for a minute before pulling back. "I love you Tori. Please, stop running." I inhaled a shaky breath and closed my eyes. He kissed me again, and this time he kissed me breathless. When we pulled away, we were both gasping slightly for breath.

"I love you too…. I was just scared…." I start, but he interrupts me with another kiss. "Are you still afraid?" he asks, searching my eyes. I shake my head and lean forward slightly. "Not anymore." I whisper before he kisses me again.


End file.
